


The Last Sunset

by Taffyberry



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, Character Death, F/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29545389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taffyberry/pseuds/Taffyberry
Summary: Hades always hated heroes, he hated valiant, selfless sacrifices. He hated them more when it was Azem making them.
Relationships: Azem/Emet-Selch (Final Fantasy XIV)
Kudos: 21





	The Last Sunset

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 for #emetwolvalentione2021!^^ The prompt is sunset. 
> 
> Since we don't know how Azem... died yet, or how the 3 remained unsundered I decided to take a creative liberty and write out a head canon I've had for a while.

Had it all been for nothing?

Their sacrifices to Zodiark? Their plans, their hopes, dreams--

Hades could only watch the two Gods fight it out, powerless to stop it. He cursed Venat and her followers, of all the ridiculous things to do-- even Azem had been against it. It was too much, she had said, before leaving the city a few days ago. He'd met with her briefly-- though he knew he shouldn't have been seen with a _defector_. Honestly. But now-- would he ever see her again? Even if Zodiark somehow triumphed over his foe, what would remain? Even more people gone, the star in a worse state than it had been before--

He fell to his knees, his hands digging into the dirt below him, as if trying to cling onto... onto something. Lahabrea stood nearby, still and silent as a rock. He hadn't said a word. What was there to say, really? Azem had been right? No--no neither of them could think that. They couldn't... And yet-- and yet.... He felt so powerless. Where was Hythlodaeus? He should be here at his side, he would be able to find him easily but-- there was no sign of him. There were... few survivors, yet he hoped to see him appear any time soon. He refused to look for his soul.

"We need a miracle," Lahabrea breathed out.

Hades glanced to him, before frowning. They needed a hero-- the thing he detested most. The thing Azem had been branded for all the times she gave a piece of herself to help someone, to protect something. But wasn't that what they needed? Where was she? Had she truly left and abandoned them to this fate? If they were going to die-- shouldn't she be with him? He should find her-- apologise. Spend his last moments with her.

In his thoughts he paid little attention to the raging fight until he felt a spike in aether. Lahabrea yelled too late-- and then he was sent flying. Both of them were. Debris and rocks exploded around them-- and his bones felt shaken and jarred to his very core, but... but he was alive, right? He looked around, waiting for the dust to clear. It would have useless to shield against it... what could any of them do?

Hydaelyn, the being summoned by Venat and her followers, had crashed into the cliff they were on and sent it crumbling. The blow had pushed him and Lahabrea back-- Lahabrea... Hades looked around frantically. Losing another brother-- he could not-- not now. They'd come so far, given so much... he was not accustomed to hating people, but the rage he felt for those foolish enough to do this... to bring this fate worse than the end of days upon them-- for what now could they do? He let out a sigh of relief as he spotted his friend, lying unconscious a short ways away. Alive, for now. Perhaps it was a better way to welcome their fate. 

"Azem-" he inhaled, clenching his hands tightly. "Where are you?"

The town was falling apart-- Amaurot had all but been abandoned following the end days, and though some of it had been rebuilt, there had been little space-- and so many of their people had gone to the underparts of the city, or to outlying towns and villages. It did little to reassure the masses, and Azem had tried everything to calm things down-- to stop Venat from this foolish course, to find a way to free her brothers and her lover--

She clenched her eyes, trying desperately not to look at all the bodies around her. There were only two people she cared about-- She knew where Hades was, if she focused hard she could just about sense him with Lahabrea, but... Hythlodaeus. Where was he? "Hythlodaeus!" She screamed, moving aside for a few others to run past. She turned to stop them-- that it wasn't safe that way-- but instead turned to focus her search. So she would save their lives by another five minutes....

This feeling of uselessness-- powerlessness... She hated it. Azem was unable to do anything, there was no way to challenge this, no way to even think about it-- this Hydaelyn, it had the power to drain enemies. A single blow would destroy her-- and... Her eyes clenched. "Hyth! Come on, this isn't funny!"

Letting out a sound of frustration, she concentrated her aether. Yet the more and more she searched... she could not find him to lock onto to bring him to her. What good was this power?! "Hyth! Please--" she blinked wildly. She knew it. If he was alive Hades would have already come for him, though he may have been... changed by the summoning of that... that _thing_ , he was still Hades. He would not leave Hythlodaeus if he was alive down here.

What an awful way to die... She coughed, before covering her mouth. Fires were breaking out. "Hyth-" she stopped in her tracks, eyes going wide as she came to a stand still. "N-no... no no no no-" she scrambled over, tripping over some rubble to land at his side. "Hyth-- please, come on-" she blinked wildly, a monster gnashing in her gut. She needed to... to...-- oh she didn't know! "Hythlodaeus!" She sobbed out, trying to shake him awake. 

Azem hung her head, sobbing softly. What good was power, what good was a title, what good was anything if you couldn't save the people most precious to you? 

She had never felt so empty. 

Hades was still alive-- she should go to him. Perhaps... She clutched at the locket around her neck. He'd given it to her shortly before her 'defection'... a reminder that no matter what she'd be on his thoughts-- he'd imbued it with his aether so she would be able to easier find him, since she was not as gifted as him or Hythlodaeus in seeing the hue of a persons soul. Perhaps... perhaps...

Azem's mind raced.

There had to be a way to protect the two who lived... there had to be!

_Think, Azem, think!_

There was that plane of existence. Just out of this one. That gods forsaken place, always so cold... empty... She'd gotten stuck there once when her reverse summoning incantation had gone terribly wrong, and it had taken all of her aether to get there-- did she have enough to send these two there? And how would they get back? They were both skilled, and if they truly had this... god... this Zodiark on side... he'd help them, wouldn't he?

No, she decided, he would not exist after this. Nothing would... or would it? Would be taking them there be a curse? Should she risk it? 

Azem clutched Hythlodaeus to her and focused on the soul of the one she loved more than any-- she had to focus!-- There! She closed her eyes and muttered her incantation. It was instant that she was at his side.

"Azem!"

Hades stared at her wide eyed-- her hands covered in blood, tears still streaming down her face, and in her lap-- 

He closed his eyes painfully.

Hythlodaeus could have been sleeping in her lap had it not been for the red staining his face and long, white hair. Azems hands shook. "I didn't get to him in time-" she gasped out.

Hades shook his head, grabbing her hands. "You could have--" he broke off, it was not the time to scold her for being reckless. "It's not your fault."

Another explosion nearby, and Azem stared with wide eyes, wild in fear as she looked up at the two beings. "Nothing will survive this," she whispered. "Nothing can be done."

"I've never known you to be so hopeless," he half joked out, touching her cheek.

She eyed up Lahabrea, he was still alive, but-- "It's just us, isn't it?"

He opened his mouth, perhaps lying was a good idea, but... "I don't suppose you have any amazing ideas up your sleeves?"

Azem's lip set into a grim line. "I might."

Shock took over him, staring at her wide eyed. Why did she sound so... resolute? So hollow? He had never known her to second guess herself, but here she was-- "Azem, we can't let our friends-- our brothers and sisters-- we can't let them just... vanish like this. If you have any idea.... even a slim chance-- I will aid you as best I can, though I fear I am not quite as adept as your usual friends."

"Oh, Hades," she whispered, quickly leaning forward to place a small kiss upon his lips. She gave him a small smile. "Trust me?"

"Always."

She was still crying, he noted. Part of him felt he should ask, yet he stared dumbly at the locket she handed him. He didn't understand-- but he had little time to ask-- because she was stood up, her face set into grim determination. Then, he felt it. Her spell, but... more. So much aether! How did she have so much left? "Azem-"

He turned quickly when another blow echoed-- it was almost like he could hear reality cracking. That creature, that... _monster_ was going to destroy everything--No. He paid attention to Azem, if she needed something-- But then he felt it, the familiar sense of her incantation-- oh how many times he had been pranked by her just summoning him to her apartment because she wanted a hug, or she needed an opinion, or because she and Hythlodaeus were bored. How many times had she pulled him to some random place while he was in various states of undress? She'd found it funny every time, and now he found himself regretting not laughing, because something felt so... final about this. 

"My locket--" he handed it to her and she smiled. "I tied a binding spell to it-- I don't know if it'll work but... but perhaps if I use my remaining aether to-"

Then-- another crack and-- "Elidibus!" He gasped out, her words passing over his head. It was there, but the faintest trace, the soul of-- how--

Azem's head snapped to him. "You are sure? Where?"

Quickly, Hades got to his feet and grabbed her hand-- directing her senses towards it. Just a small trace. "What are you-"

"I'll be there in a moment, go-"

There was no time to reply before he found himself pulled away-- Lahabrea, too, he noted. It was only when they came to a stop he realised where they were. This place. A few of them had been here before, usually by mistake, but... it made sense. To come to this place. Hydaelyn surely could not touch them here, right? Azem-- he let out a small laugh of relief. Azem had done it! Even if it was just them-- it was.... His eyes closed painfully. Just the three-- four of them if Elidibus was returned-- how could they start again? What would even remain out there?

"What-"

Hades head snapped at the two new figures-- it had been Elidibus who had spoken, but his eyes were wide, and he looked... he looked....

But more importantly--- Azem.

He was on his feet and at her side, catching her as she fell. Blood? And her soul-- it seemed half as bright as before, and... fractured. He scrambled about, trying to find some way to-- "Azem?" his hand rested gently on her cheek. "Talk to me."

Her eyes were open, but she didn't speak. In fact, she seemed to be struggling to breathe-- Azem inhaled, gasping for air. She'd found him-- her eyes darted to the white robbed child. Who was he? And what had hit her? She was saving him, and bringing him here-- with these two-- and who were they? And then she'd had to use that spell-- she couldn't remember much, but that had been very important. That locket. There had been a bright light and... and then nothing-- and on instinct she had come her. Why did this man, this beautiful man, look so terribly sad right now? Azem wasn't sure, but she felt like that expression didn't belong on his face, and she brought her hand to his cheek to wipe the tears away. Why did she feel as though she lost something so important?

"Azem-" he gulped. Why did she stare at him as though she were a stranger? "Come on, stop this-- just stay a little bit longer, we... I... I promise, I'll find you another sunset to watch. I know you enjoy them-- just--" he blinked furiously. Elidibus was muttering to himself nearby, he seemed... changed somehow, and yet-- Lahabrea was still out cold. Useless! The pair of them-- "Azem-"

She gave him a small smile, and then her hand slowly slipped from his cheek.

Hades had seen aether slip from people too much recently, but this somehow seemed... worse. She was so bright, and now she was so cold-- so empty... like a sunset, but without any stars to replace the light of the sun. Just cold, and empty, and dark. He clutched her to him as her head lulled to the side, and then, before he could place a final kiss on her forehead, she vanished into nothing-- into tiny pieces of aether, glittering in the air around him.

Was this his fault? His desire for a hero to save them... he had almost dared her to try something, hadn't he?

"Come back," he pleaded weakly. 

Not her, too. 

Curse Hydaelyn. She had taken everything away from him-- his home, his friends, his family-- his love and his sun.

He hoped that her spell had worked, that her sacrifice hadn't been for nothing-- there had to be... something left, right? Her binding spell-- would it have worked? Maybe briefly, just enough to rescue Elidibus at the last minute... If he hadn't called it out, would she still be here? No. No probably not, he decided. This was Azem in a nutshell. Self sacrificing to the very end. Not willing to let others to die for a cause on her behalf. 

He had to get it together. They would carry on, and find an answer, find a solution, and, one day, he vowed there to himself silently in the rift, find a way to bring them all back. He had to-- for her. For the sacrifice of all of those who had come before. For those he had lost.


End file.
